Cultivator.



No. 674,481. Patented lmay 2|, |901n v. G. SKEEN. v

, cuLTwAToR.

'Application med Jan. a1 1901.) 2 Sheets-$heet l.

ND Model.)

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m. 674,4sl. Patented may 2|, 19m'.

v. a. sKEEN.

CULTIVATOB.

(Nu Model.) (Application led J'nn. 31, 1901.) 2 she'ets-sheet 2l PATENTEEICE.

VIRGIL G. SKEEN, OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS.

CU LTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,481, dated May 211901.

' Application filed January 31, 1901. Serial No. 45,462- 4(No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, VIEGIL G. SKEEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wichita Falls, in the county of Wichita and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gultivators; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in cnltivators.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide swiveledcarrying-Wheels which are under the direct control of the driver orvoperator and may be turned at an angle to the line of draft to guidethe machine, while at the same time maintaining the plows in properposition with reference to each other to the center of the frame and tothe drill or row, thus preventing the plows from sliding off laterallyand cutting too deeply at some points and skipping others, particularlyon making a turn or cultivating curved rows, whereby uniformity ofcultivation is insured; second, to provide a swiveled wheel attachmentwhich may be applied to cultivators already in use; third, t'o providean attachment of this character adapted for walking or ridingcultivators, and, finally, to generally simplify andvimprove theconstruction -and increase the practical efficiency of cultivators ofthis character.

With these and other objects in view,which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, of acultivator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspectiveview of the beam and cooperating parts constituting my invention.

Like reference characters designate correspending parts throughout theseveral views.

A in the drawings represents the main transverse frame-beam of thecultivator, B the tongue or pole, C braces connecting the tongue to saidbeam, D a supporting-yoke supported by said ,tongue and braces and hav7ing lateral arms d, E braces connecting said arms to the beam A, F theseat-supporting frame, G the doubletree or draft attachment, and H and Isets of links connecting the douL bletree to the arms d, all of whichparts are embodied in cultivators now in common use. The parallelplow-beams 1 are also embodied in prior machines, but are constructedand mounted in a novel manner in my attachment, and hence constitutepart of my invention.

In accordance with my invention the carrying-wheels 2 are mounted uponstub-axles 3, connected to vertical shafts Ll, swiveled inbearing-brackets 5 upon the ends of the beam A, which shafts areprovided at their lower ends with right-angular and forwardly-extendingfoot portions 6. Through these foot portions and through the projectingupper ends of the shafts project substantially L- shaped bolts 7, whichare provided at their upper and lower ends with securing-nuts 8 and 9and serve to hold the said shafts in place and to brace said footportions 6. By this construction it will be seen that the wheels 2 areswiveled to swing in arcs of circles in a plane parallel with the beams1 to vary their angular position relative thereto.

The plow-beams l are pivotally connected at their forward ends, by meansof bolts 10, to swiveled brackets or eyes ll on the arms d of theframe-yoke D, which bolts l0 are each adapted to engage one of a seriesof openings 12, formed in said brackets, whereby the beams are not onlyadapted to swing vertically to compensate for a yielding motion of theplows on striking an obstruction, but are also adapted to'swing in adirection transversely of the cultivator. The two beams are connected bymeans of a transverse yoke 14, having arms l5, provided with series ofopenings 16 to receive the coupling pins or clips 17 on said beams,whereby the beams are also connected to said yoke so as to be adjustedtoward and from each other. In advance of the yoke the beams are furtherconnected to the bolts 7 by links 18, whereby they are adapted tocommunicate motion to and swing simultaneously with the wheels. Each ofthese links 18 is adjustable as to IOO cultivation.

length, being composed of two sections having overlapping meeting endsunited by bolts 18, so as to be adjusted to compensate for theadjustment of the beams 1 relatively to each other and to the said bolts7. Stirrups or foot-rests 19 are arranged upon the beams 1 below and ashort distance in advance of the drivers seat. To enable the driver toswing the beams and wheels from his seat, I connect the bolts 7 by meansof a bar 22, which is adapted to be operated by a lever 23, pivoted atits forward end to the rear eX- tremity of the tongue B and provided atits rear end with a handle located so as to be readily accessible to thedriver from his seat. By swinging this levell to one side or the otherthe wheels and beams may be turned in either direction in an obviousmanner. The lever is held rigidly in position by a pawl thereon engaginga rack 24E on the main transverse beam A. If the cultivator be of thewalking type, the beams may be provided with handles 20 for a similarpurpose. To lock the beams and wheels rigidly against movement, pivotedbolts 26 are provided and have hooked ends 27 to engage the horizontalportions of the connecting bolts or rods 7.

Each beam 1 carries plows 21 and may coperate with the other to supportacentral drill, (not shown,) according to the character of work to bedone. Suitable levers 28 and connections are provided for elevating thesaid beams, and other operating devices may be arranged at pointsneeded.

The parts shown in Fig. 4, with the exception of the beams 1, constitutean attachment which may be applied to existing machines which itisdesired to equip with the invention.

The following advantages are secured by the use of my invention: Thebeams 1 can be guided to maintain the plows on either side of the rowsor drill equidistant the one from the other and as near the row or drillas may be necessary for uniform and equal In other words, the swiveledwheels and beam may be swung so as to always keep the center of thecultivator over the drill or row and prevent the plows from cutting toomuch in one place and skipping another and from sliding off in Iadirection laterally of the row. The plows are also under the completecontrol of the driver or follower, as the cultivator is guided mainly bythe beams instead of the tongue. The wheels are, furthermore, maintainedequidistant from the drill or row, the use of a parallel movementobviated, as the beams are always equidistant from the drill and fromeach other, and the cultivator may be made to approach a fence or otherobstruction much closer than cultivators of the usual construction.

The improvement is, in addition, a great advantage in turning orcultivating a curved row, for the above-noted and other obvious reasons.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, andadvantages of my invention will be readily understood without anextended description.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is as herein disclosed,it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion,and minor details of construction may be made Within the scope of theinvention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States,

1. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame beam, swiveled plowbeams, swiveled shafts upon the main beam, carrying-wheels mounted uponsaid shafts, and adjust-able links connecting the shafts and plowbeamsso as to impart a positive movement to each plow-beam upon the swingingof said shafts, substantially as described.

2. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame beam, horizontallyswinging plow-beams, vertical shafts swiveled to the main beam,carrying-wheels mounted upon said shafts, and links adj ustablyconnecting the shafts ,to the plow-beams, each of said links beingcomposed of overlapping parts adjustably connected, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame-beam provided withbearings,ver tical shafts swiveled in said bearings, carrying-wheelsmounted upon said shafts, horizontally-swinging plow-beams, andadjustable links connecting directly between said shafts and theplow-beams so as to impart a positive movement to each beam upon themovement of the shafts, substantially as described.

4. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame-beam provided withbearings,verA tical shafts swiveled in said bearings and provided withstub-axles and projecting foot portions, bolts connecting the upper endof each shaft with its foot portion, carrier-wheels mounted upon thestub-axles, horizontallyswinging plow-beams, and links connectingbetween said bolts and the plow-beams, substantially as described.

5. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame-beam, asupporting-yoke provided with lateral arms, horizontally-swingingplow-beams adj ustably connected to said lateral arms, vertical shaftsswiveled upon the main frame-beam,carryingwheels mounted upon saidshafts, and adjustable links connecting the shafts with the plow-beam,substantially as described.

6. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame-beam provided withbearings,ver tical shafts swiveled in said bearings and provided withlaterally-projecting stub-axles and forwardly-projecting foot portions,L-

IOO

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shaped bolts connecting the upper end of each vertical shaft with itsfoot portion, carrier-Wheels mounted upon the stub-axles,horizontally-swinging plow-beams, and adjustable links connecting thebolt of each shaft with the adjacent plow-beam, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame-beam provided withbearings,ve rtical shafts swiveled in said bearings and provided withlaterally-projecting stub-axles and forwardly-projecting foot portions,L- shaped bolts connecting the upper ends of the shafts With the footportions thereof, horizontally-swinging plow-beams, links connecting thesame with said bolts, a bar connecting the bolts, and an operating-leverfor moving the bar to swing the bolts and shafts, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame-beam, verticalshafts swiveled upon the beam and provided with laterallyextendingstub-axles and forwardly-projecting foot portions, an L-shaped boltconnecting the upper end of each shaft With its foot portion,carrier-Wheels mounted upon the stub-axles, a supporting-yoke providedwith laterally-extending` arms,ploW-beams mounted to swing in ahorizontal plane and adjustably connected to said arms, and linksadjustably connecting the bolt of each shaft With the adjacentplow-beam, substantially as described.

9. An attachment for cultivators comprising bearing-brackets adapted tobe connected to the main frame-beam of the cultivator, vertical shaftsmounted in said brackets and provided With stub-axles and foot portions,a bolt connecting the upper end of each shaft with its foot portion, andadjustable links for connecting the bolts of the shafts with swingingplow-beams, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWosubscribing Witnesses.

VIRGIL G. SKEEN. Witnesses: f

W. A. REID, A. D. ANDERSON.

